den
/dɛnː/common gender
The Swedish word for 'it' is translated as den or det.
Meaning: subject, inanimate thing (pron)
Ways to say it
| Swedish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| den | /dɛnː/ /rɛnː/ |
common gender |
| det | /dɛː/ /deː/ |
neuter |
Both forms are used as pronouns to refer to inanimate objects. The specific form you choose depends on whether the object is categorized as common gender or neuter gender in Swedish.
Which one should you use?
The choice between den and det is determined by the grammatical gender of the noun they replace. Use den for objects of the common gender and det for objects of the neuter gender.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
Note that datten is a related noun referring to the person who chases others in the game of tag.
How do you pronounce it?
/dɛnː/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the neuter form det for all inanimate objects, similar to how 'it' works in English. Instead, ensure you are matching the gender of the specific Swedish noun you are referring to.
Did you know?
- The word den shares a common ancestor with the English word 'that', tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root '*só'.
- Swedish speakers sometimes use det as a dummy subject in phrases like det regnar ('it is raining'), even though det has no actual object to refer to.
- Because nouns can change gender over centuries, some Swedish words have shifted from den to det or vice versa over time.
Examples in context
- Ge den åt Tom.Give it to Tom.This sentence shows how to use den to refer to an object.Tatoeba #4339954 by richke, translation #2261869 by CK
- Är det en räv?Is it a fox?This sentence demonstrates using det to refer to an animal/object.Tatoeba #10687870 by morbrorper, translation #10687804 by Adelpa
- Hur ser den ut?What's it like?This sentence illustrates the use of den when asking about an object's appearance.Tatoeba #2001544 by herrsilen, translation #1886697 by CK
- 2194 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Oscar and Alice are looking at a new book in a shop.
- OscarSer du boken?Do you see the book?
- AliceJa, den är väldigt fin.Yes, it is very nice.
- OscarSka vi köpa den?Should we buy it?
- AliceKanske inte idag.Maybe not today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “it” translations and entries den, det, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries den, det, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
